The School Streets programme is a road safety initiative that aims to make roads in school communities safer for everyone. The scheme turns these streets into priority zones for people to walk and cycle and restricts car use at the start and end of the school day.
The scheme already operates successfully at four schools in Bristol – Wansdyke Primary School in Whitchurch, St Peter’s CofE Primary School in Bishopsworth, Redfield Educate Together Academy and Victoria Park Primary School in Bedminster.
Proposals have now been released to encourage feedback from parents, carers, local residents and businesses around Minerva Primary Academy in Hillfields, and Whitehall Primary School in Easton. Further plans will be released later in 2022 to expand the programme to also cover Chester Park Junior School in Fishponds.
Councillor Don Alexander, Cabinet Member for Transport, said:
I am pleased to announce the next phase of our plans on this scheme, which will mean safer journeys to school for thousands of young people across Bristol.
Encouraging and facilitating more walking and cycling in our younger generations will play a crucial role in adapting behaviour towards more sustainable transport and cleaner air as we work together as a city to respond to the climate emergency.
Since their introduction to Bristol in 2020, School Streets in school communities are providing parents, carers and families with the option to travel more sustainably through walking, wheeling, cycling or scooting; helping to reduce congestion, parking pressures, discourage unnecessary car journeys and improve the environment outside the school gates.
School Streets will also help parents and pupils to socially distance during the coronavirus pandemic, by creating additional space for them to travel safely to and from school on foot, by scooter or cycle.
Anyone wishing to comment on the latest proposals should visit the Bristol School Streets pages online and provide feedback by 7 January 2022.